Metropolitan Opera Archives

Our local ten-day season of Metropolitan Opera opened last night at the Boston Opera House with one of the greatest masterpieces of post-Wagnerian opera, Richard Strauss's sentimental Viennese comedy, "Der Rosenkavalier." The audience was, of course, a distinguished one and the performance, too, was distinguished by one of the greatest characterizations of the contemporary operatic stage: the Marschallin of Lotte Lehmann. Alexander Kipnis was a broadly comical Baron Ochs, Rise Stevens, an engaging Octavian, Julius Huehn sang the role of Faninal and Marita Farell took the part of his daughter Sophie. The Metropolitan's youthful German conductor, much discussed Erich Leinsdorf, conducted with assurance and authority.

As Charpentier's "Louise" has preserved for us the essence of the Paris of 1900, so have Strauss and Hofmannstahl captured in "Der Rosenkavalier" the spirit of Vienna. Not the Vienna of 1900 or of any other specific date or century, but a timeless Vienna, a Vienna one dreams of particularly, perhaps, if one has ever been there, the city of waltz and rococo, of aristocratic gemütlichkeit, of gracious manners, of humanity, wit and sentimental charm, Thus the slight anachronism of Biedermeier waltzes in the salons of Maria Theresa's Vienna need not bother us. Hofmannsthal and Strauss are not trying to archeologize

Growing Art

In the 10 years since the writer first heard the unforgettable "Rosenkavalier" of the Vienna State Opera, Lotte Lehmann's Marschallin has changed. If it no longer has quite the same opulence of voice, her impersonation has grown in depth and subtlety. It has become even more intensely moving than it was. There are Marschallins who are more consciously aristocratic, but none more poignantly human. Last night Mme. Lehmann lived her part as did no one else on the stage.

The gentle dignity with which she covers her agony at the thought of growing old, of losing Octavian, her vision of herself as the old Princess, "die site Fuersehtin Rest," the heartbreaking simplicity of the pantomime that closes the first act and the able gesture of renunciation that is the final trio - these are memories of Lotte Lehmann to be cherished, for we shall not soon see them equaled.

Rise Stevens, Octavian

It would be pleasant to be able to report that the rest of the performance moved upon the same high plane. Mme. Lehmann received her most sympathetic support from Rise Stevens who looked the role of Octavian almost to perfection, Her acting was fresh and unaffected and vocally she was equal to the demands of her role.

Mr. Kipnis, otherwise a thrice admirable artist, exaggerates the loutish buffoonery of the Baron Ochs. He is thoroughly amusing, but what he produces is caricature and not a characterization. This is not in the best tradition of the part. Marita Farell's Sophie was an acceptable figure, adequately sung and acted. But Julius Huehn as father Faninal was lacking in authority either musical or dramatic. Faninal in his interpretation dwindled to a stock comedy figure.

The Orchestra

Erich Leinsdorf, with the forces of both orchestra and stage well in hand, gave a performance of considerable dramatic power. At later performances he will doubtless achieve better balances. Last night the solo voices were too often overwhelmed by the flood of orchestral sound. Richard Strauss himself, in conducting this work, keeps the orchestra consistently coordinated to the voices and his whole scale of dynamics is of a chamber ensemble.

The stage management of this production would not measure up to that of a "Rosenkavalier" in any representative German opera house and the scenery of the first two acts is beneath contempt. The third act is supposed to be shabby, so it does not matter. Why opera in America should have to be content with scenery that would not be tolerated in a second rate German opera house and would be laughed off the stage in any American production of legitimate drama is not easily understandable.

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